Sweet Valentine Goodies for the Stash

The rainy days in Georgia are growing loooooooonger. It's a yucky, rainy evening and we've had many of them this Winter!

But all in all the month of January is almost to a close and in such conversation of "winding it up" I wanted to share with you some things I've added to my stash in the past 6 weeks.

If you like this as much as I do, you can get this and the thread winders at your local Hobby Lobby!

Some are included but I get extra to wind some floss.

(It's a good thing I don't live close to one) LOL

I just love the Springy like green color!

I thought it was a total neat way to add to the other many methods I have for organizing fibers.

Of course I couldn't help but get a couple of heart buttons while I was there.

2 hearts are always a cheerful treat.

And some vintage cotton lace ribbon too.

And mail items NOT from Hobby Lobby are:

an 8 in square black prim wood frame

and my most favorite is this new design Coverlet Birds!

I absolutely LOVE coverlets and when I saw this little piece I knew I had to stitch it.

Definitely will pull me out of the creative slump along with other cheerful adventures.

I also got the recommended Needlepoint Silks of which I have never used before but I do LOVE stitching with silk and I'm sure this one will be a treasure. I've heard only good things about this brand.

The fabric I chose was not the recommended fabric but is As Days Gone By ( I think is the name) by ????  I just had a brain blip. I'm having alot of those lately. ;)

Design is by The Scarlett House

I'm just in love with the colors.

I hope I pick up some speed on this one

I just need to pick it up....LOL  This should be a quickie! It's the Sampler Girl's Mr. Darcy sampler.

Wrinkles and all, here it is so far. Yes, I know the hoop makes marks, I just change around and on certain pieces I'll pick it up from time to time. Hopefully the wrinkles will come out. xxxxxx fingers

Here you can see the contrast of the color of linens, As Days Gone By and 32 ct natural Belfast linen.

I love both actually.

Torn between two lovers. :p

and I was in a Hearts Aflame mood, so I got this Kelmscott needleminder to plant my needles on while I'm stitching my Valentiney samplers. ;)

Oh, hmmmm.....yes, it was in the garden.

Yes, Miss Flossie Mae is going to have kittens and what's really funny is that Thomas, bless his heart, thinks he is the father of them but he can't be as he is neutered, but he tried, yes he did at my astonishment.

Honestly, they are a matching couple now and I think they are this year's Valentines couple expecting!

They sit together on the front porch swing every day.

I guess there's something in the air around here.

I think I was a wee bit late on getting Miss Flossie Mae fixed.

Will be interesting what colors her kitties will be.

Hope your weekend is full of fun and adventure. I know mine will be. I'm attending a seminar Saturday out of town to hear a speaker for the book A Confident Heart by Renee Swope. I think it will be AWESOME!  I might even sneak my stitching in there while I listen if my eyes will let me see without the magnifier light. I've really gotten addicted to the magnifier light even with my glasses.

Stay sweet and until we meet,

Jennifer

New start on Mr. Darcy sampler

After a 5 hour nap of total quiet, with nothing but a fireside cracklin' sound today, I put a few stitches to get a good start on Mr.Darcy's sampler by The Sampler Girl.

I'm using Belle Soie Teddy Bear, Crescent Colors for the lettering, and the DMC  cotton as suggested for the heart so far.

Yup, this one will be added to my Valentine's collection and plan to frame in a 5 x 7 black wood frame when done.

This is on natural Belfast linen of what count I can't remember but I think 32.

There's nothing like a Jane Austen sampler to get the heart pumping for Valentines or any day!

I really, really enjoy stitching with the silks. Almost too much!

Of course this verse is the beginning of Pride and Prejudice and such a neat verse for a sampler!

Lovin' it.

Hope your Monday treats you nicely.

Off to bed for the Monday morning rush if I can sleep. If I can't I'll come back to this sampler in the quiet and work on it more. I'm totally not used to lying flat on my back and sleeping for 5 hours straight during the daytime. :)

Stay warm and cozy,

Jennifer

Sappy Saturdays

So how was your week?

Mine went well, very well, taking a day at the time and the more days, the more I know I'm at peace.

Went to one of my fave places for a burger today and also received a dozen, beautiful red roses delivered to my house today, so love is definitely in the air here, with sweetness, and just making every day a Valentine's Day right now!! Even Flossie Mae has unexpectedly attracted all male cats for the past 2 days and she will probably be delivering kittens. I was late getting her fixed and was assured that cats don't go into heat until Spring. hummmm.......not here. LOL

So inspired, I decided to set up a few of my favorite Valentine's decor on top of my piano around my new roses and take a look-see:

A cup of tea anyone?

Times like these when I dust and can see the furniture. ;p

I love tea. I have some new Youthberry tea with orange from Teavana and have carefully enjoyed the full antioxidant benefits of it since I got it last week. Full of savory healing, wholesome and delicate goodness.

and there is one certainty, time moves right along.

And that is a good thing as I ponder many circumstances, some given to me unexpectedly in this life, but all have a purpose to fit somewhere. In time.

I have confidence in that much.

I got out some of my favorite pillow keeps

This one is from designer, The Sampler Girl, stitched by me. One of her freebies.

The top one, a freebie by Primitive Betty's stitched by me and another one which I love so dear.

I also love small quilt heart pillows. And this one just looks good here too.

And as I said this is Sappy Saturday as I miss my kids, now adults and hold them in my heart until they decide one day maybe to reconnect. I'm at peace with it. I know they will do what their heart leads them to do. They've tried many things to put a divide between us but in time they will learn the wisdom that mama's always love their babies and will miss them too.

It feels good to come to acceptance of these and many things that are "on my heart" today.

Because I know that really all things work together for good according to His purpose in his Time.

That's a promise I keep with MY heart.

and the roses, ahhhhhh, yes the beautiful roses. Mr. Darcy really does exist, ladies!

Now that's a sappy story as well with most of it unwritten for safety reasons. But as I've gotten a few emails about "the BodyGuard Situation",

this is where I must tell you the truth as he chose to live another life for the past several years, a life full of lies and deception, dishonesty and hurt, danger and pride, and I was absolutely unaware of many of his deceptions until July of this past year, but there again...... It was my time, my prayer was answered in months and as he strived hard to hurt me as much as he could, he really ended up being destructive to himself.

He is no longer in my life and I have no ill-will for him and he knows that. I am so glad I finally saw the light, the real kind of what kind of light he carried on our journey.

The rest is unwritten and will stay that way for safety reasons, but all in all, I feel safe with the One that loved me first, My Heavenly Father.

He protected me many times in my life and this past year was one of them.

He surrounded me with true friends and those who chose to say curt words and leave my life, I accepted their decisions as well, as they only didn't really understand, thank goodness the hades I went through so there is peace with that and those I've connected with are purposely only positive people right now.

I learned a hard lesson on trust many times in my life as many of you have too in yours. I am no different and am just saying that if you listen to your heart, your prayers will be answered. Just get ready for them to be answered in ways you may not think it will be.

By my bed is framed Be Still and Know I am God, and I see that when I awake and when I go to bed.

I stitched it a couple of years ago, designed by The Sampler Girl and it's given me so much encouragement.

So, last year, yes I went through a horrendous divorce with a man who's goal was only to hurt and hurt bad in every way.

I'm a thankful woman for the blessings I have and for the love of God to protect me even though he used every low avenue he could to deceive and perpetuate his deep seated lies.

I hope none of you go through this kind of betrayal but if you do, remember.... that there is a rainbow after the rain.

As a totally not interested person in relationships at all after all that, I guess another door opened, and this time, I have never felt so much peace inside with the friendship we've attained. It's refreshing, rejuvenating, lifting, and totally awestruck by the miracle God put in my life after Christmas Day.

The story will be unwritten here but all I can say is that ONLY God would be one to put this together and things that have happened are amazingly refreshing.

And for this, and other reasons, stitching, has been much to the side in the past several months.

But there are seasons in life that we all go through and I ONLY choose to respond and be with positive people as the negative, I really can't relate to and it drains me right now. I love to help others but those that are hurtful, I let go. It was time.

You wouldn't believe (maybe you would) some emails I got during this time from some bloggers.

I really felt sorry for them. I don't think they understood at all. But, I hope you know I heart each of you reading this blog, for whatever brought you to it today to read.

sometimes we don't know where the tree stops and the water begins but the reflection I see out my window one evening said it all.

Sometimes what we think we are living is only a shadow.

So, I'm totally in God's hands with what doors open next, but I will always trust Him forever.

I think 2012 and beyond is another chapter of life for me. Even the love of music is coming back for me. And it's nice to have someone to share that with.

So, I'm enjoying each day as best I can and that's the best we all can do.

One day the rest of the story will be written. It may require a book format! LOL

Through all this I learned these lessons:

1) no marriage or relationship can be based on dishonesty, deception, lies, and abuse

2) it takes 2 mature people to make one, just one doesn't work

3) never take a day for granted, it might change your life forever

4) thank all the friends who stuck with you and even those who chose to leave you for it showed you who really cared to start with.

5) slowly open your heart to a real kind of love because it can happen.

6) hug your children every day if you have the chance. If you can't, always hope, never lose hope.

7) if you've never seen your marriage partner open a Bible until his lies are found out, then pretends to do so and uses the word of God in a hateful way, RUN, don't walk. No matter what. God does not come looking for us. He knows where we are, we look for HIM.

8) accept nothing less than God being the foundation of a marriage relationship

9) life is too short to waste it trying to explain to former "friends" when they want to run as if it's contagious. If they were really your friend to start with, they would still be with you, if they dropped you for whatever, just nod, bow, and open the door for them.

10) Take safety seriously. If someone, anyone, comes to you in a dangerous situation in fear, don't say "I don't want to get involved" because in essence you really have taken the abuser's side by turning your head.

11) Pray. Pray without ceasing even when nothing but tears are flowing and you're speaking to the mountains and no one else because He DOES hear our specific requests and He already knows what we need if we just ask and be still. Patience. His TIME not ours.

and most important

12) I've found out twice what love is not so I can better recognize what love REALLY is. Even though I went through alot through the years, I'm thankful because I wouldn't know without the contrast.

The more days go by, the bigger the rainbow gets.

I hope you  have a  lovely Saturday evening and thank you for taking time out of your day to read my sappy moments today as I reflect on some very deep things, love, clean and take care of my home.

Home is Where the Heart Is means much more to me now.

Till later,

Jennifer